DESCRIPTION (Applicant's Abstract): An important mechanism of ischemic brain damage is production of reactive O2 species, including superoxide (O2-). Natural defenses against O2- include 3 isozymes of superoxide dismutase (SOD). CuZnSOD and MnSOD have been shown to be important in scavenging O2- produced in the intracellular space. The remaining isozyme, extracellular SOD (EC-SOD), is found only in the extracellular (EC) space. Transgenic (EC-SOD overexpressing) and knockout (EC-SOD deficient) mice and the metalloporphyrin compound Mn-TM-2-PyP (an EC-SOD mimetic) provide novel opportunity to isolate and examine effects of O2- produced in the EC space. We have shown that EC-SOD overexpression reduces both global and focal ischemic injury while EC-SOD deficiency increases focal ischemic injury. The goal of this research is to define mechanisms by which EC-SOD improves ischemic outcome and determine if these properties can be emulated by use of EC-SOD mimetic compounds. Our fundamental postulate is that EC-SOD provides a beneficial effect on ischemic brain by scavenging O2- in the EC space, generated by either activated neutrophils/microglia or membrane bound oxidases. We will examine whether reperfusion is required for EC-SOD to affect histologic/behavioral outcome. We will then examine whether EC-SOD deficiency worsens global ischemic injury and whether this deficiency can be corrected by administration of Mn-TM-2-PyP. O2- sensitive microelectrodes, OH-salicylate trapping by microdialysis, and nitrotyrosine assays will be used to determine if manipulation of EC-SOD expression and use of Mn-TM-2-PyP alters O2 concentrations in ischemic brain. The source of extracellular O2- will be examined by comparing histologic/behavioral ischemic outcome in neutrophil depleted EC-SOD transgenic/knockout mice and whether EC-SOD pharmacologic mimetics have efficacy in NADPH oxidase knock-out mice lacking respiratory burst activity. Long-term recovery studies will be performed to assure that neuroprotective effects of EC-SOD are permanent. Immunoblotting techniques will be used to determine if EC-SOD expression is upregulated in post-ischemic brain and whether expressed EC-SOD is intact or cleaved of its heparin-binding domain, which might facilitate diffusion to sites of inflammation. We believe this work will provide important mechanistic insight into how ischemic outcome is affected by O2- formed in the extracellular space and that this work will provide novel routes of investigation for therapy of ischemic brain injury.